Rack structure for dishwasher



Aug. 30, 1966 D. s. CUSHING 3,269,790

RACK STRUCTURE FOR DISHWASHER Filed Aug. 3, 1964 F'IGI H QNVENTOR DONALDS. CUSHING H \S ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,269,790 RACK STRUCTUREFOR DISHWASHER Donald S. Cashing, Louisville, Ky., assignor to GeneralElectric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 3, 1964, Ser. No.387,042 4 Claims. (Cl. 312328) This invention relates generally todishwashers and, more particularly, to an improved dish supporting rackfor an automatic dishwasher.

Two major problems which the dishwasher industry continually faces arecapacity of the dishwasher and ease of loading and unloading. Quiteoften the solution of one of these problems aggravates the other. Forexample, capacity may be increased by positioning the individual dishescloser together or by using space previously unused because of itsrelative inaccessibility. On the other hand, ease of loading andunloading may be increased by avoiding the use of relativelyunaccessible portions of the dishwasher wash chamber or by utilizingelaborate swing-out racks which necessitate additional unused space,within the wash chamber, for the rack to swing free. Of course, it wouldbe advantageous to have a dish supporting rack which increased bothcapacity and ease of loading,

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improveddish supporting rack for an automatic dishwasher.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dish supporting rackfor an automatic dishwasher which greatly increases the ease with whichdishes may be loaded onto the rack.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dish supporting rackfor an automatic dishwasher which utilizes substantially all of theuseable space within the dishwasher wash chamber.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a dishsupporting rack for an automatic dish-washer which is secured to, andcarried by, the closure member for the dishwasher.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dish supportingrack for an automatic dishwasher which positions the dishes supportedthereby in such a manner that the weight of the dishes assists insealing the closure member to the dishwasher cabinet.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention,there is provided an automatic dishwasher comprising an outer cabinethaving a wash chamber therein. A door is provided in one wall of thecabinet to provide access to the wash chamber and a dish supporting rackis carried by the door and extends into the wash chamber when the dooris closed. In a specific embodiment of the present invention the dishsupporting rack is rigidly secured to the door and solely supported bythe door so that the rack pivots out of the wash chamber when the dooris opened thereby to facilitate loading and unloading of dishes onto thedish supporting rack.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention, it is believed the invention will be better understood fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partially cut away to show details, of adishwasher utilizing the dish supporting rack of the present invention,with the dishwasher door in the open position;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 with the dishwasher door in theclosed position; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

ice

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES l and 2,there is illustrated an automatic dishwasher 10 having an outer cabinet11 defining therein a wash chamber 12. A closure member or door 13 isprovided in one wall of cabinet 11 to provide access to wash chamber 12.A bottom wall 14 defines the lower extremity of Wash chamber 12 and isconfigurated to gradually slope toward an outlet 15.

Positioned below bottom wall 14, but within cabinet 11, is a motor 16which drives a pump 17. Motor 16 is of the electrically reversible typewell known in the electric motor art and may be directly mechanicallylinked to pump 17. The inlet to pump 17 communicates with outlet 15 bymeans of conduit 18. Pump 17 is a two- Way pump, such type pumps beingwell known in the pump art, whereby, upon rotation of motor 16 in onedirection, pump 17 will pump fluids from conduit 18 out through conduit19, In the opposite direction of rotation of motor 16, pump 17 will pumpfluids from conduit 18 out through conduit 20. Conduit 19 communicateswith the household sewer system (not shown) so that when pump 17 pumpsthrough conduit 19, dishwasher 10 is drained into the sewer. Conduit 20communicates with a spray device 21 which is designed to effectuate awash action within chamber 12 when any fluids are pumped through thespray device. Spray device 21 may be a stationary tube having orificestherein or it may be an oscillating, rotating or reciprocating device,the exact arrangement not being critical to the present invention.

A sequence control means 22 is provided with a manually operable controlknob 23 and is electrically connected to the motor 16 to control motor16 through the necessary sequence of operations to effectuate a completewash cycle within wash chamber 12. Many sequence control means arepresently commercially available and they are well known in the washingmachine art so that it is unnecessary to explain in detail the structureand operation of the sequence control means 22.

At the rear of cabinet 11, an additional member 24 is provided in spacedrelation to cabinet 11 to thereby define an enclosure 25. Enclosure 25houses a portion of conduit 19 and also houses a water inlet valve 26which controls the admission of water from the standard householdplumbing system (not shown). A water inlet opening 27 is provided in therear wall of cabinet 11 so that when valve 26 is opened, the water willbe directed into wash chamber 12. It is, of course, understood thatsequence control means 22 also controls the opening and closing of inletvalve 26 in the manner well known in the automatic washing machine art.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a dishsupporting rack, designated generally as 28, adapted to support a plate29. Supporting rack 28 is carried by door 13 so as to pivot into washchamber 12 when door 13 closes and to pivot out of wash chamber 12 whendoor 13 is opened. Supporting rack 28 includes legs 30 and 31 which maybe rigidly secured to door 13. Legs 30 and 31, as more clearlyillustrated in FIGURE 3, are of generally elongated U-shape, having thedistal ends of the U secured to the inner surface of door 13. Extendingbetween legs 30 and 31 is member 32 which provides rigidity to legs 30and 31 and also serves to stabilize plate 29 when door 13 is closed,Extending generally away from door 13 and secured to leg 31 is member33. Member 33 may be integral with member 32, as illustrated, or it maybe a separate member secured thereto by suitable means such as weldingor brazing. Secured to member 33 near its end most remote from door 13,is member 34 which extends generally parallel to door 13.

When door 13 is closed, leg 31 and member 34 serve to support plate 29as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. When door 13 is opened, legs 30 and 31serve to support plate 29 as shown in FIGURE 1. As best illustrated inFIGURE 3, members 32 and 33 serve to stabilize the plates from tippingand nesting while legs 30 and 31 support the edge of the plate when door13 is open and leg 31 and member 34 support the edge of the plate whendoor 13 is closed.

Support means such as hook 36 may be provided on the inner surface ofdoor 13 to support glasses or cups above plates 29. Similarly, hooks 37may be provided on the rear Wall of cabinet 11 above plates 29 tothereby utilize substantially all of the volume of wash chamber 12 bysupporting cups and glasses in that portion of chamber 12.

Thus, it can be seen that the structure of the present inventionprovides a dish supporting r-ack which greatly enhances the ease ofloading and unloading dishes without the sacrifice of substantial spacewithin the dishwasher of wash chamber. Moreover, the supporting rack 28is arranged so that when door 13 is closed the weight of rack 28 and thedishes supported thereby assist in sealing door 13 to cabinet 11.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects ofthe invention are not limited to the particular details of constructionof the example illustrated, and it is contemplated the various othermodifications or applications will occur to those skilled in the :art.It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover suchmodifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(b) a wash chamber within said cabinet,

(c) a door in one wall of said cabinet to provide access to said washchamber, and

(d) a dish supporting rack carried by said door and extending into saidWash chamber when said door is closed,

(c) said dish supporting rack including a U-shaped leg rigidly securedto said door, a first member extending generally away from said door andsecured to said leg and a second member generally parallel to said doorsecured to said first member adjacent the end of said first member mostremote from said door.

2. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(-a) a cabinet,

(b) a wash chamber within said cabinet,

(c) a door in one wall of said cabinet to provide access to said washchamber, and

(d) a dish supporting rack carried solely by said door and extendinginto said wash chamber when said door is closed,

(c) said dish supporting rack including a U-shaped leg rigidly securedto said door, a first member extending generally away from said door andsecured to said leg and a second member generally parallel to said doorsecured to said first member adjacent the end of said first member mostremote from said door.

3. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(b) a Wash chamber within said cabinet,

(c) a door in one 'wall of said cabinet to provide access to said washchamber,

(d) a dish supporting rack rigidly secured to said door,

(e) said dish supporting rack being adapted to support dishes whichconsume a major portion of the volume of said wash chamber when saiddoor is closed,

(f) said dish supporting rack pivoting out of said wash chamber whensaid door is opened to thereby facilitate loading and unloading ofdishes into said dish supporting rack,

(g) said dish supporting rack including a U-shaped leg rigidly securedto said door, a first member extending generally away from said door andsecured to said leg and a second member generally parallel to said doorsecured to said first member adjacent the end of said first member mostremote from said door.

4. An automatic dishwasher comprising:

(-a) a cabinet,

(b) a Wash chamber within said cabinet,

(c) a door in one wall of said cabinet to provide access to said washchamber,

(d) a dish supporting rack rigidly secured to said door in a cantileverfashion whereby the weight of said dish supporting rack and the dishessupported by said dish supporting rack tend to rotate said door aboutits hinge to increase the sealing engagement between said door and saidcabinet,

(e) said dish supporting rack including a U-shaped leg rigidly securedto said door, a first member extending generally away from said door andsecured to said leg and a second member generally parallel to said doorsecured to said first member adjacent the end of said first member mostremote from said door.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,373,506 4/1921Hoyt 134143 1,597,129 8/1926 Watters 134-143 3,087,769 4/1963 Guth3l2269 3,099,276 7/1963 Bergendahl 134-107 FOREIGN PATENTS 699,762 11/1953 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN AUTOMATIC DISWAHSER COMPRISING (A) A CABINET, (B) A WASH CHAMBERWITHIN SAID CABINET, (C) A DOOR IN ONE WALL OF SAID CABINET TO PROVIDEACCESS TO SAID WASH CHAMBER, AND (D) A DISH SUPPORTING RACK CARRIED BYSAID DOOR AND EXTENDING INTO SAID WASH CHAMBER WHEN SAID DOOR IS CLOSED(E) SAID DISH SUPPORTING RACK INCLUDING A U-SHAPED LEG RIGIDLY SECUREDTO SAID DOOR, A FIRST MEMBER EXTENDING GENERALLY AWAY FROM SAID DOOR ANDSECURED TO SAID LEG AND A SECOND MEMBER GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID DOORSECURED TO SAID FIRST MEMBER ADJACENT THE END OF SAID FIRST MEMBER MOSTREMOTE FROM SAID DOOR.